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English II Personal Narrative AssignmentYou will end our unit on Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by writing your own personal narrative. A personal narrative is a story that provides readers with insight into a person’s life experiences. This is an essay that provides insight into your unique character. It allows you to share your background, achievements, insights, passions and aspirations. This type of essay is also quite practical because you can use it when applying to various programs.The focus for our personal narratives is Awakenings. An awakening is an important moment of change—an “Aha moment,” a new awareness, a time when you achieve a new consciousness or understanding of the world or yourself, usually in a way that changes you. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, he discusses “Awakenings” or turning points in his life as a slave. These were times when he experienced something that left him forever changed; these moments were often inspirational and gave him the strength and determination to fight for his freedom. While your personal narrative does not have to be as serious as Douglass’, it should provide a detailed and insightful description of a turning point in your life. Consider the following prompts/themes when selecting an event for your own narrative:Essay Prompts/Themes:Captivity-Write about a time you felt trapped or confined. When did you become aware of your captivity? Who or what held you captive? How did this affect you? How did you/will you break free?Literacy-Write about an experience with literacy or education that opened your eyes to the world in a new way or gave you a new understanding of yourself. How has reading, writing, or education awakened you?Shattering Boundaries-Write about a time when you gained an understanding of boundaries that kept you in or shut you out. How did you break through? What awakenings or understandings did you gain through this experience?Navigating Frontiers-Write about a time that you tried something new and completely out of your comfort zone. What difficulties and awakenings did you encounter? What did you learn about yourself?Essay Goals We will work together to create a personal narrative that:1. Provides the story of an awakening you have experienced.2. Explains the personal importance of this event.3. Describes the event through the use of concrete details and vivid language.4. Conveys a sense of who you are as well as your voice as a writer. 5. Demonstrates your ability to write an essay that is clearly focused, well-organized and grammatically correct.GuidelinesThe guidelines for this essay are:1. It must be at least 4 paragraphs in length.2. It must describe an event that is a turning point.3. It must be descriptive. This means your essay goes beyond listing and telling, it should show who you are through concrete examples and vivid language.4. It must follow the organizational method discussed in class.5. It must utilize appropriate sentence structure, grammar, mechanics and spelling.6. It must be typed on white paper with one inch margins in size 12 Times New Roman or Arial font.Steps in the Writing ProcessRemember that writing any paper is a process. The process for a personal narrative includes:1. Brainstorming: generate ideas about the experiences that define you.2. Creating a Focus: choose an event that fits the theme of the assignment.3. Pre-Writing and Outline: list and organize your ideas clearly and logically.4. Write the First Draft: turn your outline into a complete essay with an introduction, body and conclusion.5. Participate in Peer Editing: have a peer read your essay and comment on its style, form and content.6. Make Final Revisions: correct and perfect your essay before submitting the final draft.7. 5-Point Revisions: after you give your final draft, make teacher corrections. Gain 5 points or lose 5 mon Core StandardsW.10.3.a-e. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.c. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole.d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.W.10.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.Personal Narrative RubricFocus and Organization (48 Points)Score (Out of 8)CommentsDid you present a clear main idea that expresses a turning point?Did you focus on the main idea throughout the essay?Is information organized clearly?Does the introduction arouse interest?Does the body present the beginning, middle and end of the experience?Does the conclusion synthesize the information presented in the essay and leave a lasting impact?Support and Elaboration (32 Points)Score (Out of 8)CommentsDid you provide enough details and examples to support your main idea?Did you use only relevant information to support your ideas?Does the essay go beyond just telling and actually show your personal experience by using vivid details?Is descriptive language used throughout the essay?Mechanics and Presentation (20 Points)Score (Out of 5)CommentsDid you use language effectively?Did you observe the conventions of standard written English?Is your essay typed in size 12 Times New Roman or Arial font?Is your essay totally double-spaced with margins one inch on each side?Personal Narrative Brainstorming Assignment #1Name:________________________________________Directions: Choose three different topics from the themes/prompts on the Narrative Essay Cover Sheet. Under each topic, freely brainstorm our memories, feelings and experiences. For example, you may choose Prompt #2 for a Literacy Narrative and list possible topics in the box below. i.e. “Books that shaped me,” “A teacher who inspired me,” “When I realized I was actually smart,” etc… Then, list specifics, names of books, teachers, events, etc…Theme/Prompt #_____Theme/Prompt #_____Theme/Prompt #_____Next, share your list of ideas with a partner/members of your group. Discuss the following questions with the members of your group and write down your responses.Which events stand out the most? What is it about them that catches your attention or stands out?What could someone learn about you as an individual from these stories?What “Awakenings” are the most powerful from your list?Personal Narrative Brainstorming Assignment #2: CHOOSING AN EVENTEvent:This was awakening for me because…What?Who?Where?When?Why?Details, Details, Details!!!A good personal narrative provides more than the basic details you include on the 5W’s chart. The very best narratives provide sensory details for your narrative as well as the author’s feelings about the events being described. Use the boxes below to help you list significant details for your narrative.English II Personal Narrative OutlineName:__________________________________An outline provides the framework for your writing. It should only list the main points that will be covered; you will elaborate and provide supporting details in your actual essay drafts. Once you complete your outline, you will have an organized plan for writing your narrative.Please complete the following outline for your essay.Every A should be a topic sentence that sets up the purpose of the paragraph. Every B and C should be a strong detail that supports the purpose of the paragraph.Paragraph 1 (Introduction – Set up your Awakenings narrative with a strong opening statement and a clear focus.)A.B.C.Paragraph 2 (Body Paragraph 1 – Describe the beginning of the event with a focus on setting and the people involved.)A.B.C.Paragraph 3 (Body Paragraph 2 – Describe the middle of the event with a focus on your thoughts and actions.)A.B.C.Paragraph 4 (Body Paragraph 3 – Describe the end of the event with a focus on the change you experienced, the challenges or turning points.)A.B.C.Paragraph 5 (Conclusion – Wrap up your Awakenings Narrative with a focus on what new awareness or knowledge you gained about yourself or the world.)A.B.C. ................
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